Not del Toros' finest hour. Still, a fairly amusing time at the movies.

Rating: 7/10 (24 August 2017)

Humans must do battle with massive monsters known as Kaiju when a "breach" between dimensions opens deep within the ocean. To do this, the people of the world unite to create equally colossal fighting machines dubbed Jaegers (the German word for "hunter"). In order to successfully operate a Jaeger, a bond, or "Drift", must exist between two pilots, a bond that is mental and spiritual as well as physical. The fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam), who will go into battle with an eager to please rookie (Rinko Kikuchi) at his side.
Here, acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro attempts to play in the same sort of sandbox popularized by movies like "Independence Day". Overall, it's more of a visual effects showcase than it is anything else, with a thin story and an over emphasis on spectacle. It comes off like a video game adaptation much of the time, with not too many human moments along the way. Granted, the movie is pleasing to look at sometimes, with a virtual candy store of futuristic images. The Jaegers are also imaginatively designed (at least, their interiors are), although the Kaiju are not particularly impressive.
As could be expected, this is not the thing you want to watch if you're looking for truly great acting. Too many of the characters and performances are annoying, although Idris Elba, as Beckets' sombre commanding officer, has a typically solid presence. Hunnam is an underwhelming hero, with no real charisma at his disposal. Ron Perlman, whose working relationship with del Toro dates back to 1992 and the film "Cronos", hams his way through a brief role as a sleazebag who deals in Kaiju body parts on the black market. The true saving grace is the cute and appealing Kikuchi.
Del Toro does his able best to keep his audience from being bored, but without the desire to consistently root for the heroes, it's hard to care a great deal for many of the characters here.
Still, if you just want a gung ho popcorn flick, and aren't looking for substance, "Pacific Rim" is passable entertainment.
Seven out of 10.